


Forever royal

by Builder



Series: Pantherverse 2.0 [1]
Category: Black Panther (2018), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bucky Barnes & Shuri Friendship, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Cancer, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:08:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27196265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Builder/pseuds/Builder
Summary: Bucky slowly exhausts himself, his eyes gritty and his stomach churning.  He lies back on the bed and shuts his eyes.  He doesn’t know if he’ll ever have such another good friend as he had in T’Challa.  Such an honorable man. He just knows that he can say with reverence long live the king.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: Pantherverse 2.0 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1985348
Comments: 5
Kudos: 20





	Forever royal

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr @builder051

When a blocked number appears on the display of Bucky’s phone, he expects int to be Nat. This time, though, it’s Shuri.

“Can you come?” she asks. “Please?”

Bucky knows she wouldn’t ask without good reason. “Ok,” he says softly. He’s afraid to push for more information.

“It’s my brother. I’m afraid he’s not long for this world.”

Bucky and Steve take the quinjet and arrive in Wakanda early the next morning. Shuri meets them on the tarmac and leads them into the palace.

“You know T’Challa’s always had stomach problems. He dismissed them as nothing and would never let me treat them with anything but antacids.” Shuri sadly shakes her head. “Now the cancer’s so advanced that even with vibranium nanobots targeting the intrusive cells, it’s metastasizing too quickly for me to keep up.”

They step out of the elevator on the level for Shuri’s lab. There’s a hospital bed in the center of the large space, and T’Challa lies under a mountain of blankets. Dr. Cho hangs a bag of IV fluids on a pole at the head of the bed, and the Queen Mother sits in a cushioned chair by its foot. Nakia and Okoye stand like statues behind her.

“She has him on the more traditional chemotherapy and radiation,” Shuri says, indicating Dr. Cho, “While I’m working on the experimental methods.”

T’Challa’s eyes are closed and his breathing is measured, but he seems to have twitched slightly at the sound of the elevator door closing. “Is he–” Bucky takes a step forward.

“Resting,” T’Challa whispers without opening his eyes. “Not sleeping.”

Bucky lets out a shaky breath, then smiles. “How are you, pal?”

“Could be better…” T’Challa shifts, his bald head sliding across his pillow as he turns to face Bucky and Steve. “But still here yet.”

“Eh, you’re not going anywhere,” Bucky says, though tears prickle at the corners of his eyes. Steve reaches for Bucky’s hand and squeezes it tightly.

“Not yet.” T’Challa coughs. “Soon, though. I’ll be going on to the land of my father. And my father’s father…”

They stay at his bedside till well after midnight. When T’Challa’s breathing goes shallow, he graciously asks for a moment alone with his family. 

Okoye shows Bucky and Steve to a gorgeously appointed bedroom on the floor above. She bows her head and starts to leave, but Bucky quickly says, “No, stay.” 

The three of them sit on the bed, fully clothed and arms intertwined, until dawn light begins to break through the curtains. 

There’s a soft knock on the door, then it opens a crack. It’s Nakia steps inside, her cheeks tearstained. She slowly shakes her head, and they all know what it means.

Bucky’s heart sinks. He turns his face into Steve’s shoulder and begins to weep, his chest heaving as silent sobs rise out of him. Okoye pats him on the back, her eyes glistening with her own quiet show of emotion.

Bucky slowly exhausts himself, his eyes gritty and his stomach churning. He lies back on the bed and shuts his eyes. He doesn’t know if he’ll ever have such another good friend as he had in T’Challa. Such an honorable man. He just knows that he can say with reverence long live the king. 


End file.
